Accessible English

Pronunciation made easy

Online Pronunciation course - 25 hours via Blended learning. Module 4

Module 4 will cover the following:

In module 4:
Class 4 - 45 minutes Coursework 4 - 1 hour Review 3 - 45 minutes

Sounds

Concepts words

Sentence stress

28-60
1

Sentence stress
Sentence stress is the music of spoken English. Like word stress, sentence stress can help you to understand spoken English, especially when spoken fast. Sentence stress is what gives English its rhythm or beat. You remember that word stress is accent on one syllable within a word. Sentence stress is accent on certain words within a sentence. Most sentences have two types of word: content words structure words Content words are the key words of a sentence. They are the important words that carry the meaning or sense. Structure words are not very important words. They are small, simple words that make the sentence correct grammatically. They give the sentence its correct form or structure. If you remove the structure words from a sentence, you will probably still understand the sentence. If you remove the content words from a sentence, you will not understand the sentence. The sentence has no sense or meaning. Imagine that you receive this telegram message: SELL CAR GONE FRANCE

This sentence is not complete. It is not a grammatically correct sentence. But you probably understand it. These 4 words communicate very well. Somebody wants you to sell their car for them because they have gone to France. We can add a few words: SELL my CAR Ive GONE to FRANCE The new words do not really add any more information. But they make the message more correct grammatically. We can add even more words to make one complete, grammatically correct sentence. But the information is basically the same: Will you SELL my CAR because Ive GONE to FRANCE.

In our sentence, the 4 key words (sell, car, gone, France) are accentuated or stressed. Why is this important for pronunciation? It is important because it adds music to the language. It is the rhythm of the English language. It changes the speed at which we speak (and listen to) the language. The time between each stressed word is the same. In our sentence, there is 1 syllable between SELL and CAR and 3 syllables between CAR and GONE. But the time (t) between SELL and CAR and between CAR and GONE is the same. We maintain a constant beat on the stressed words. To do this, we say my more slowly, and because Ive more quickly. We change the speed of the small structure words so that the rhythm of the key content words stays the same.

Syllables 2 1 3 1 Will you SELL my CAR because Ive GONE to FRANCE. Time 1 1 1 1 Will you SELL my CAR because Ive GONE to FRANCE.

The basic rules of sentence stress are:

content words are stressed structure words are unstressed the time between stressed words is always the same The following tables can help you decide which words are content words and which words are structure words:

Content words - stressed

Words carrying the meaning Example main verbs SELL, GIVE, EMPLOY nouns CAR, MUSIC, MARY adjectives RED, BIG, INTERESTING adverbs QUICKLY, LOUDLY, NEVER negative auxiliaries DONT, ARENT, CANT

Structure words - unstressed

Words for correct grammar Example pronouns he, we, they prepositions on, at, into articles a, an, the conjunctions and, but, because auxiliary verbs do, be, have, can, must

The rules are for for what is called neutral or normal stress. But sometimes we can stress a word that would normally be only a structure word, for example to correct information. Look at the following dialogue:
Theyve been to Mongolia, havent they? No, THEY havent, but WE have.

Note also that when be is used as a main verb, it is usually unstressed (even though in this case it is a content word).

Sentence stress exercises

First, you need to be able to immediately distinguish between content and function words. Are the following words function or content? went with just quickly the hard next to CD ROM open had

Next, take a look at the sentences and choose the words that should be stressed. Example: Jack went to the shop to grab some coke. He had finished breakfast before I arrived. Phillip ordered a huge steak for dinner. They will have to stay up late if they are going to finish their homework. It must have been something in the air that caused Jack to shout. Could you please be more quiet?

Notice how some of the shorter sentences actually have more stressed words than the longer ones (2 compared to 3). These shorter sentences can often take longer to speak than longer sentences with many function words!!! Now go to the video below and look at some real life examples of sentence stress: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19243357

That concludes lesson 4, now study coursework 4

Accessible English
Pronunciation made easy

Online Pronunciation course - 25 hours via Blended learning. Coursework 4

Sentence stress and words 28-45

In module 4:
Class 4 - 45 minutes Coursework 4 - 1 hour Review 3 - 45 minutes

Now well cover words 28 - 60. In the example sentences, the stressed words are underlined. However, as you know, word stress can change depending on the emphasis the speaker wants to give. Click your fingers on the underlined words and remember the time (t) between each underlined word must be the same.

Word 28 - by /baI/
By is a preposition (next to; close to) and adverb (to go past). Look at these examples.
Preposition The shop is by the Restaurant Adverb The crowd cheered as the Royal Family went by

Word 29 - hot /hQt/

As an adjective, hot is in a stressed position.
this soup is equally good hot or cold filled with passionate excitement, anger, or other strong emotion: she was hot with rage informal involving much activity, debate, or interest: I have got some hot gossip! informal very knowledgeable or skilful: Toni is very hot on local history

Word 30 - but /bVt/

But is a conjunction, and unstressed in most cases.
used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting with what has already been mentioned: he stumbled but didnt fall the food is cheap but delicious used to indicate the impossibility of anything other than what is being stated: one cannot but sympathize there was nothing they could do but swallow their pride

Word 31 - some /sVm/

Some is a determiner and pronoun. Look at the following examples. Remember to focus on the sentence stress.
Determiner an unspecified amount or number of: I made some money running errands he played some records for me used to refer to someone or something that is unknown or unspecified: she married some newspaper magnate twice her age there must* be some mistake * Stress on the must for emphasis (pronounced stressing some) a considerable amount or number of: he went to some trouble Ive known you for some years now (pronounced stressing some) at least a small amount or number of: he liked some music but generally wasnt musical Pronoun 1an unspecified number or amount of people or things: here are some of our suggestions

Word 32 - what /wQt/

What has three uses - as an interrogative pronoun, relative pronoun, interroragive determiner, relative determiner Interrogatives are usually stressed
[interrogative pronoun] asking for information specifying something: whats your name? Im not sure what you mean [relative pronoun] the thing or things that (used in specifying something): what we need is a commitment [interrogative determiner] asking for information specifying something: what time is it? do you know what excuse he gave? [relative determiner] (referring to the whole of an amount) whatever: he had been robbed of what little money he had

Word 33 - there /De@/

There is an adverb. So its un a stressed position
we went to Paris and stayed there ten days at the end of the day we are there to make money I dont agree with you there

Word 34 - all /O:l/

All is a determiner, pronoun and adverb and therefore usually in an unstressed position except when used as an adverb
we all have different needs determiner 10 percent of all cars sold he slept all day adverb dressed all in black shes been all round the world

Word 35 - your /jO:/

Your is a possessitve determiner, so its unstressed (except if it needs emphasis)
Whats your name? Can I see your ticket, sir? Thats not my bag, its yours!

Word 36 - when /wen/

when is an interrogative and a conjunction.
when did you last see him? when would such a rule be justifiable? Conjunction call me when youve finished can you spare five minutes when its convenient?

Word 37 - when /wen/

when is an interrogative and a conjunction.
when did you last see him? when would such a rule be justifiable? Conjunction call me when youve finished can you spare five minutes when its convenient?

Word 38 - up /Vp/
Up is usually used as an adverb and a preposition.
Adverb two of the men helped her up she made her way up to bed Preposition she climbed up a flight of steps he lived up the road

Word 39 - use /ju:s/

Use is a verb and therefore is a stressed word within a sentence
she used her key to open the door the poem uses simple language I couldnt help feeling that she was using me (exploiting me)

Word 40 - we /wi:/
we is a pronoun and is therfore usually unstressed
shall we have a drink? we should eat as varied and well-balanced a diet as possible

Word 41 - can /c{n/

can is a modal verb and usually unstressed. It has lots of functions: to give permission, express ability, express possibility and express a request.
they can run fast I can speak Italian there are many ways holidaymakers can take money abroad you can use the phone if you want to can you open the window?